Centrifugal separator



Oct. 9, 1928.

D. T. SHARPLES CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed April 423, 1925. 2 Sheets-sheen Oct. 9, 1928. 1,637,394

D. T. SHARPLES CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed April 23, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 im EW I A 1x' Meer:

vPatented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED vSTA'IIES DAVID T. SHARPLES, OFV'WEST CHESTER," PLES SEPARATOR COMPANY, OFWES i TION Ofli` PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHAR- T CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- CENTRIFUG'AL SEPARATOR.

Application ined April 23 This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal` separators, and hasv more particularly for its purpose the provision of a driving head construction. Y, v

One of the objects of this invention is to, provide a driving head which may be swung out of line with the separator bowl to render possible a withdrawal of the bowl in a vertical direction, without interference by any part of the driving head.

Another' object is the provision of a'power system for the driving head of a centrifugal separator, in which a belt is utilized to drive selectively loose or vtight pulleys. The `loose pulley is mountedon a stub shaft in invari-l able position, while the tight pulley is secured to the main shaft of the driving head, and may be swung with the driving head out of alinement with the stub shaft for the loose pulley.

A further object is the provision of a driving head containing within'itself the speed ratio gearing and elements, and comprising a unit which may be readily driven by a belt when-in the operative position, and which, when the said-belt is removed from coopera t-ion therewith, may be readily swung to an inoperative position, in which it is out of alinement with the centrifugal bowland its jacket.

A further obj ect is the provision of an improved driving system for the spindle of a centrifugal separator, bywhich a tendency of such spindle to move laterally and out of engagement with the driving gear is avoided.

In this way, the spindle is assured against any tendency to whip or bend from the correct linear position: and is given a uniform, automatically balanced drive.V

With these and other objects in view, there is represented on the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1, a side elevation of the centrifugal separator showing in dotted lines the relative positions of thedrivinggearingand in dash and dot-and-dash lines, two other possible positions for the driving head; u

Fig. 2 a top-plan view of the .separator head with the cover plateremoved to more clearly present the driving elements;V and having ay secondary position of the driving head represented in doteand-dashlines;

Fig. 3 a diagram vshowing the relations 'of the several elements constituting the driving system; and l y Y 1925. i serial No. 25,335.

Fig. 4 a detail sectional view of the'raising mechanism. Y

In these drawings, J represents the acket of acent-rifugal bowl separator having associated therewith a sleeveS vbyr means of the integrally cast web- W. The driving head is represented generally by the reference letter H. A tight Vpulley T furnishes power ytothe driving head when operatively engaged by the driving belt B. This driving belt B when itis not desired to operate the separator, is

moved on to the loose pulley L. 'The driving head H is preferably formed of a casting having side and end walls and bottom integral `with eah other. The cover C is bolted upon this base casting. l The whole provides a guard for the moving gears and prevents any throwing of oil or possibility of injury by Contact with the gears. In the base casting are appropriately formed the bearings and apertures to accommodate the various shafts and gears, as will be set forth hereinafter.

v Thedriving head H is carriedfupon the spindle l received within a circular bore hole in the sleeve S. This spindle is provided with a series of teeth which extend around its whole periphery as shown by the Vbrokenaway section in Fig. 4. This spindlel is mountedin the sleeve S in such manner as to be secured against any downward movement a relative thereto during the raising and swinging of the driving head H; and is received at its upperend in a bore hole 2 formedv within a sleeve 4 forming part of the integral casting constituting theishell or base of the driving head H. vWhen the driving head H isrin its lowered position, a notch 3 in the lower edge of the sleeve 4 receives the lug 5 ont-he upper edge of thesleeve S, to Alock the driving head in a predetermined position` in which thefdriving connection G is in axial alinement with the jacket J and the centrifugal bowl X to be rotated therein. This assures a positive alinement yof these members. P are the discharge pans or spouts.

In order to be able to swing the *drivingl head H about the spindle 1, a lifting mechanism is provided for the driving head, and including the operating handle 6, which is journaledin an offset lug7 on the down-v wardlyextending sleeve 4 of the driving head H. A pinion 8 is pinned fast on the inner end of the shaft forming the pivot for theY handle 6. This pinion 8 engages with the 'i teeth on spindle l t-hrough an aperture 9 in the sleeve t, and w ien the handle is turned from the position shown at G in solid lines in Fig. l, to the position shown at 6a in dash lines in Fig. l, the whole drivii'ig head is raised from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dash lines.

ln order to securely hold the driving, head in a lowered position during the operation of the separator, the sleve l is slotted at d (Fig. 2), and has the lugs l0 at either side of the slot. A handle 1l terminating in a threaded shaft and having` a collar Yl2 is passed through the aperture in one of these lugs, and is threaded into the other lug. As the handle ll is rotated, the screw threads upon its shaft in a threaded lug,` l0,V

and by reaction with the colla-r l2, pinch the two sides of the split sleeve 4L. and clamp it tightly upon the spindle l.

The drivine' sv stein for the drivin@` head w ZJ comprises a tight pulley T which is mounted and keyed upon a shaft (Fig. which is journaled at 2l and 22 in the side walls ofthe 'driving head l-l, and carries within the cavity of the driving` head, the oppositely directed skew gears and 23 rl"her shaft 20 is free to move endwise for a slight distance for a purpose which will be described hereinafter'. ldeshingiwith the respective skew gears 2 and 23 are the two similarly cut skew gears 24 and 25 having a smaller number of teeth to provide a higher rotational speed of these gears 2li and 25 than the rotational speed of the shaft 20. rlllhese gears and 25 are mounted respectively en the two shafts 26 and 27 which are parallel to each other, and at right angles to the'shaft 20. These shafts 26 and 2'? are journaled at 23, 29, 30 and 3l in the side walls of the main easing' of the drivingr head fl. I

It is preferred to provide conical bearings for the ends of these shafts to assure accuracy of element-s: and in order to assure the proper lengthwise adjustment and precision of the bearings, thesebearings 23, 29, 30 and 31 are formed as threaded plugs which may be screwed in or out for adjustment in the side walls of the driving,- head ll, shown in Fig. These shafts 26 and 27 likewise carry the large worin gears 32 and 33 which mesh with the driving' spindle 34: at opposite sides, rlie driving spindle is thus supported at each side against any tendencyto lmove away from the driving` wormv gears, so longas the 'worm gears 32and'33 bear with equal pressure upon the spindle 3.4i.

in order to compensate for any inequality in the driving pressi're exerted by the worin gears and 33 upon the spindle 3%, which would tend to cause a movement of the spindle away from the worin gear, for enaniple, that at 32, deliverirl the greater driving` pressure.y the two skew gears 2/1- and 25 are cut in opposite directions, and the shaft the drivingv 20 is permitted an endwise movement as already referred to.

ln operation, if, for example, the worin gear 32 is delivering a greater driving,` pressure than the worm gear 33, there is greater reaction upon the shaft 26 tha-n upon the shaft 27. ln seine cases, the total driving load may be assumed by one worin ,gear and shaft to the exclusion of the other. The situation then is the saine as with a single worm drive, and the spindle 3e tends to move away from worm gear 32 at its portion opposite this gear. rllhe shaft 28 communicates its reaction to the skew Igear 2li, which in turn re-acts upon the skew gear 23. Since pressures between the meshing teeth of the skew gears 24 and'23 isgreater than the corresponding driving pressures between the skew gears 25 and 23, the skew gear 23 tends to move axially and carry the shaft 20 along` with it, by reason of the Obliquity of the line of pressure at the teeth of the skew gears.` However, the gear 23" is pulled by the shaft 20, it moves boeily with l its skew teeth until these skew teeth are pressed more strongly against the meshing teeth on the skew gear 25. rl`his ca uses a corresponding forward movement to be made by the shaft 27 and thence by the worin gear 33 upon the spindle 34E until the driving pres ,y

sures of the two worin gears 32 and 33 lare once more balanced. It is apparent that as the worin gear 23'inovee with'its shaft, the driving` pressure upon the worm gear 32, is, in this case relieved by a relative lengthwise slip of the teeth on the gears 23 vand 24:' and onthe contrary, by the bodilyniovei ent of the skew gear 23 with regard to skew gear 25, the driving pressure upon the shaft 27 is correspondingly increased. lin automatic Vbalanee'of the driving' forces is thus assured, so

that the worm )gears 32'and 33 immediately are compensated case of any difference in driving pressures between them with regard to the spindle 34s and that this tendency "to compensate or balance exists only so long as there is a difference in the respective driving' efforts.

The spinale vSeis journaled at 40 in the base cast-ingv of the driving' head H, and car.- ries the bowl connection G at its lower end through an aperture eil.

After operation of the separator, (the belt being on the loose pulley), the drivinghead lil may be released by the handle llvfroin its spindle l. rllhe bowl connection@ is then released, and the whole dri vine; headraised by means of handle t', the pinion 8 and the teeth on the spindle l to disengage luge from notch 3. lThe drivingl head may new be swungaround the spindle l as a pivot into the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figures l andv 2.5 llt-will be noted that there is no disturbance of the relation of the jacket and the belt or loose pulley during this opera- Cil tion: and yet, the entire top of the jacket and its bowl and pans are exposed for easy removal of the bowl and pans.

It is obvious that this invention is in no wise-limited to the specific forms of con-l struction shown, but that any modifications therein may be made within the scope of the appended claims. Y

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, isl l. In a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary jacket, a centrifugal bowl disposed therein, a driving head having a bowl connection and mounted for pivotal movement withv regard to said jacket, means to positively aline saidv bowl connection with said bowl, means to lock said head and said bowl in alineinent and means toY disengage said alining means following release of said locking means andto permit inovementof said driving head to a position in which it allow-s the upwardwithdrawal of said bowl from said jacket.

2. In a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary jacket, a centrifugal bowl dis posed therein, a vertical'spindle mounted on said jacket, a driving head having a ybowl connection and mounted for movement about the axis of said spindle when in a raised fpo sition, means for raising and loweringr Isaid driving head with respect to said jacket, and means to positively aline said bowl connection with said bowl in the lowered position of said driving head. Y

3. In a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary jacket, a centrifugal bowl disposed therein, a vertical spindle mounted on said jacket, a driving head having a bowl connection and mounted for movement about the axis of said spindle when in a `raised position, means for raising and lowering said driving head on said spindle, and means for locking said driving head in a predetermined lowered position.

i. In a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary jacket, a centrifugal bowl disposed therein, a vertical spindle mounted in an kaperture of said jacket and having a series of peripheral teeth therein, a driving head having a bowl connection and mounted forinovement about the axis of said spindle, a pinion journaled in engagement with said teeth, and means to rotate said pinion to raise and lower said driving head with respect to said jacket.

5. In a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary jack, a centrifugal bowl disposed therein, a vertical spindle mounted on said jacket and having a series of peripheral teethy therein, a driving head having a bowl connection and ymounted for movement aboutA the axis of said spindle when in a rai-sed pos1tiona pinion journaled for rotation upon said driving head and in engagement with the teeth on said verticali spindle, and a liandle to rotate said pinion to raise and lower posed therein, a vertical spindle mounted von said jacket'and having a series of peripheral teeth therein, a driving head havingra bowl connection and mounted formovement about the axis of said spindle when in a raised position, a pinion journaled for rotation upon said driving head and in engagement with the teeth on said vertical spindle, a handle to rotate said pinion to raise and lowerzsaid drive ing head `on said spindle, and means for pose itivelyV alining said bowl connection'and said bowl.

7. In a centrifugal separator, a. vert-ical stationary jacket, a centrifugalfbowl disL posed therein, a spindle -lmounted on said jacket, a driving head having a. bowl connection mounted for movementfabout the axis of said spindle, a' loose pulley yjournaled inl fixed relation to said jacket,ya: tight'pulleyY associated with said driving head` to furnish power to the same, said driving head inone position presenting said tight pulley in axial -alinement with said loose pulley and said bowl connection in axial alinement. with said bowl, and in another position said tight pul-A ley being out of line with regard to said loose'pulley, and' said driving connection beingout of line with said bowl, said driving head in the latter position permitting free upward withdrawal of said bowl fromV said jacket. y f l 8. In a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary jacket, a centrifugal bowl disposed therein, a driving head having a. bowl connection and a tight pulley, ya' loose pulley journaled in fixed relationto said jacket, means to hold saiddriving head to present said bowl connectionfin alinement with said bowl and said tight pulley in aline-ment with saidl loose pulley, and means to release said holding means whereb said driving head may move with said tight pulleyA and said driving connection out of said respective alineinents and into a position liberating said jacket for vertical withdrawal of said bowl. c

9. In a centrifugal separator, a driving shaft with permissive endwise movement, a pair of oppositely directed driving skew gears on said driving sha-ft, a. driven spindle having a worm, a pair of worm ears meshing with said worm'and mounted on different sides thereof, ay driven skew gear operatively associated with each of saidi worm gears, said driving skew gears meshing with said driven skew gears to drive the same, whereby the endwise movement of said drivinghaft and the. rotation of the driven skew gears determined thereby will equilibrate the driving pressures of said Vworm gears on saidA 10. In a centrifugal separator, a driving shaftv with permissiveendwise move-ment, a pair of oppositely directed driving skew gears on said driving sha-itt, a. driven spindle having a` worm, a pair of worin gears meshy ing with said worm and mounted on diiierv ent sides thereof, a` driven skew gear operatively associated with each of said worm gears, said driving skew gears meshing with said driven skew gears to drive the same, thel method oit' equilibrating the driving pres snres of said worm gears on said worm which consists in causing a greater' driving pressure at one worin gear to eliect an endwise movement of said driving sha-tt and opposite rotation of said driven skew gears relative to the respective driving skew gears.

l1. In a centrifugal separator, a centrifugal bowl,'a driving sha-lit, a worm spindle to drive said bowl, a plurality of gear trains .transmitting movement from said driving shaft to said worm spindle, and means to balance the driving effort of said geartrains.

12. In a centrifugal separator, a centrifugal bowl, a driving shaft, a worm Aspindle to drive said bowl, a plurality of gear trains transmitting movement. from said driving shaft to said worin spindle, and means to balance the driving eiort of said gear trains, said means being actuated by differences in the relative driving pressures in said trains.

13. lin a centrifugal separator, a vertical stationary acket., a centrifugal bowl contained in said jacket for rotative operation and removable by a vertical movement therefrom, a vert-ical spindle mounted on said jacket, ay driving head having a separable driving connection for said bowl, said head normally preventing withdrawal lof said bowl when separated froin'said head, a snp port 'for said head to pivotally mount said head on said spindle eccentric to the bowl airis so that the head in a iirst position is above said bowl and may be connected there-Y to to drive the same and in another position leaves a clear space above said bowl whereby the latter may be withdrawn vertically, and means on .said head and support to positively aline said bowl connection with said bowl in said rst position. y p

in testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

DAVlD T. SHARPLES. 

